Dear Kids,
      We’re having gorgeous fall weather, and it’s COOL! Monday morning Dad and I went for a bike ride along the Jordan River, my first time since June, and it felt fabulous. Of course there weren’t any baby ducks, and the water was way low, but it felt so good to be out on a bike. Now Dad may have felt differently. He’s been riding his bike to work every day since we junked the Windstar, so it wasn’t a novelty for him. But he got his payback when he went for his regular checkup with Dr. Johnson on Tuesday. He’s down 8 pounds since his last visit, and his blood statistics are really good. Go, Dad!
      Monday afternoon we went to the picnic at Copperton Park for Stuart’s birthday. What a great place! The town is really old, but the park was full of young families, so I’m guessing that most of them trekked in like we did. Stuart seems way grown up for just turning three, but he still has a little trouble getting that third finger up when you ask how old he is. I think the brain is always ahead of the fingers, especially in little boys.
      Dad has been on vacation all week, and we haven’t done anything spectacular. It’s hard when he has to choose his weeks more than a year in advance. If we’d known, we could have been going on a cruise with the Study Group in the middle of October. (We were told that we’re the only couple not going.) But in spite of that, it’s been a good week. Later this morning we’re heading to the cabin. We have new bricks for the fire pit, and bark to go around the ag shed. Speaking of which, I had a sleepover there last Friday night with all four of John and Heather’s kids. (John and Heather slept in the cabin, and so did Dad.) I didn’t sleep much all night, because I kept worrying that the kids would fall out of bed, but they were fine. Aaron went in about midnight, but the rest of them stayed all night.
      Dad needed to have some work done on the truck, and he’s lost his confidence in Bill & Randy’s, and Gines, too. On Sunday, in church, I pointed out a branch member who’s a mechanic, and Dad went to talk to him. They worked out that Roberto would come Monday afternoon, look at the truck, and give him an estimate. I mean, he would actually come to our house! And he did! He found some bad spark plugs that should have been good, still. He came back to our house Thursday to do the work, and first Dad paid him in cash for the parts, which he went and bought. Then he came back with the parts and put them in, and Dad paid him for his labor, also in cash. I guess that’s how they do it in Mexico. But the truck runs great now.
      I’m cooking Sunday dinner day after tomorrow. Last chance till October. Let me know if you’re coming. Love, Mom